Mclaren Mercedes 2014

[Gaz.]

I wrote this on page 65, the only change is that Maldonado is confirmed for Lotus next year & rosberg has extended his contract too:

There aren't many top drivers available for next year:

Vettel - contracted to RBR until end of 2015
Ricciardo - contracted to RBR until end of 2015
Hamilton- contracted to Mercedes until end of 2015
Rosberg - contracted to Mercedes until end of 2016
Alonso - contracted to Ferrari until end of 2016
Raikkonen - contracted to Ferrari until end of 2015
Massa- contracted to Williams until end of 2016

I can't find details on Bottas's availability. Perez has already been dropped and they've discounted Hulkenberg. JEV hasn't shone against KVyat who does not have the experience. Sutil's ship has sailed & I doubt Estaban is even on their radar. That leaves Grosjean, Maldonado, Kobyashi, Bianchi, Chilton & Ericsson or recruit from GP2 - which jars against their experience requirement.

Or they could stick with Button & Magnussen for 2015.

____________________


I still can't find info on Bottas, but it's worth noting that his manager is Toto Wolff. TJ13 speculated that VB could replace Hamilton at Mercedes but then TJ13 never miss an opportunity to write something negative about LH. I do wonder though if Wolff will want to keep Bottas at Williams as a 'plan B' incase LH leaves Mercedes at the end of 2015- either way I don't think Bottas will replace JB at Mclaren. I think the 2nd seat is a straight fight between JB and Grosjean.

[acosmichippo]

yeah, of anyone out there, the only reasonable option is Grosjean - not only is he a solid driver on par with MAG and Button, but it would also be a major step up from the abysmal Lotus team.

[Chuckjr]

Yea +1 with Gros. That guy has just itching for a solid shot at a top team, and I think he deserves it. Certainly it would be a one year contract and it's his best/possibly only chance to truly show his capabilities. Should he do really well, and Macca passes on him for Fred or another top guy, there would be a seat for him at Ferrari or RB..? That would be a fantastic choice for Macca imo. He would drive the nuts off that 2015 car.

[akshat21]

I don't think McLaren will have driver change in 2015. It makes very little sense to do it. None of the top drivers are out of contract in 2015 and it will cost a bomb for McL to buy out their contracts from the current employers. Instead they can use that money to build a solid car for next year to show everyone what they can do when they have the works status again. Also, in Button and Kevin they have two known benchmarks from their Mercedes years. This will come in handy when they are comparing data to see how fast or slow they are from the previous years.

Of the two possible marks that McLaren has in mind (according to rumors), both have worked for McLaren, which means they have an idea of what they like in the car. Even if they work with Button/Mag combo in 2015, the engineers have data on Hamilton or Alonso's car preference.

I like Grosjean and Bottas. I think Grosjean is a better bet than Bottas simply because Eric Boullier knows him and has worked with him. I am not too sure on their abilities to develop the car during the season. This is simply because Lotus aren't doing too well this year to make a judgement. They had Raikkonnen last year to help them develop the car. And Bottas has only had one full year in F1 and is in his second year.

[Chuckjr]

I hear you on the data acquisition but it's maybe misleading to guess Gros development skills at Lotus considering the support/lack thereof that team is experiencing with their engine provider. It's hard to polish a turd.

Having Button around most likely equates to a swan song year. I'd suggest the motivation of a very hungry Gros is above that of a former world champ walking out the door to retirement or a Barrichello part 2 career.

I've nothing against Button. He's a great driver. I just like the idea of a Gros in that seat next year, but I get it - prolly won't happen.

[iotar__]

Yea +1 with Gros. That guy has just itching for a solid shot at a top team, and I think he deserves it. Certainly it would be a one year contract and it's his best/possibly only chance to truly show his capabilities. Should he do really well, and Macca passes on him for Fred or another top guy, there would be a seat for him at Ferrari or RB..? That would be a fantastic choice for Macca imo. He would drive the nuts off that 2015 car.

McLaren is not a top team. If you're talking about very top level it's already happened, far from 100% potential but more than enough. Good enough for Hamilton-centric media and crowd to invent fairy-tales of big Lotus development compared to Mercedes towards the end of 2013. It can't be a driver being better in Korea, Suzuka etc. right? Team's - 'we didn't really change qualifying-race pace approach it's up to a driver" to explain being behind RB and next to Merc went unnoticed too.

If I were him and McLaren offered me one year contract I'd tell them where to stick it. It's not going to happen, if they weren't smart enough to think about it for 2014 why would they now? Dennis thinks Vettel is a very top driver instead and (if rumours are true etc. but it matches previous words) is offering him some big money. Even it's Honda paying half of it it's pretty funny. Add to that success of replacing Perez with Magnussen too early and you have a picture of his mindset when it comes to drivers.

It's going to be interesting how much Ron Dennis' "changes, I'm back, changes, doesn't matter if it makes sense or not as long as it's my idea" approach affects drivers in 2015. I think he'd love to fire Button even today, the problem is he's still better than new project Magnussen. It's solvable, 1. Magnussen can get better in 2015. 2. You can always make one driver worse for your favourite to look better. As of today I'd love to see in a perversive way Vettel-Magnussen against Alonso, Hamilton, Rosberg , in similar cars.

[akshat21]

Yea +1 with Gros. That guy has just itching for a solid shot at a top team, and I think he deserves it. Certainly it would be a one year contract and it's his best/possibly only chance to truly show his capabilities. Should he do really well, and Macca passes on him for Fred or another top guy, there would be a seat for him at Ferrari or RB..? That would be a fantastic choice for Macca imo. He would drive the nuts off that 2015 car.

McLaren is not a top team......

I am just curious to know. Why would you not consider McLaren not to be a top team? And of the current lot, who would you consider to be the top teams?

[Thunder]

https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/492583548910850048

[CjC]

Yea +1 with Gros. That guy has just itching for a solid shot at a top team, and I think he deserves it. Certainly it would be a one year contract and it's his best/possibly only chance to truly show his capabilities. Should he do really well, and Macca passes on him for Fred or another top guy, there would be a seat for him at Ferrari or RB..? That would be a fantastic choice for Macca imo. He would drive the nuts off that 2015 car.

McLaren is not a top team......

I am just curious to know. Why would you not consider McLaren not to be a top team? And of the current lot, who would you consider to be the top teams?

Well handled!!

[George-Jung]

What do these little strakes(?) on the supports for the wing do? Shed a series of small vortices or build up into a single vortex or something else nothing to do with vortices?

http://i.imgur.com/eZ9nVJP.jpg

Is Akzo Nobel a new sponsor?

[SectorOne]

What do these little strakes(?) on the supports for the wing do? Shed a series of small vortices or build up into a single vortex or something else nothing to do with vortices?

http://i.imgur.com/eZ9nVJP.jpg

Is Akzo Nobel a new sponsor?

Prior to the 2009 season the partnership was formed.
https://www.akzonobel.com/news/pressrel ... ystem.aspx

[George-Jung]

Ok thx! i never noticed it.

[mclaren111]

Akzo Nobel ownes Dulex Paints as well.

[KingHamilton01]

Button about to be overtaken in qualifying by Magnussen, showing he is on the decline as a driver and will make McLaren's decision about getting a new driver for 2015 easy! Grosjean the likely replacement since everyone else is likely not to move.

[iotar__]

Button about to be overtaken in qualifying by Magnussen, showing he is on the decline as a driver and will make McLaren's decision about getting a new driver for 2015 easy! Grosjean the likely replacement since everyone else is likely not to move.

Why did they replace his race engineer mid-season?
There are two ways of making boss' favourite look better. First option is him doing a better job which didn't happen, on the contrary, second is to make other driver look worse especially when he's sensitive to set up and over one lap. I bet Button would not be getting luxury of endless excuses like Vettel and Raikkonen. As for Grosjean I wouldn't be too sure McLaren will be better than Lotus in 2015 especially with Merc engine (not certain), not to mention driver management games they tend to play.